When the Levee Breaks S4
by Bad Day at Black Rock
Summary: Sam's on a hardcore rehab program that tests loyalties.
1. Chapter 1

Dislaimer: These fics are based on real episodes from Supernatural. The characters and plots belong to the creator and writers for the show. If you want background on the new character you can read the previous episodes.

_Authors Note: I am not skipping Jump the Shark or The Rapture and I apologize again for the delay. I got about half way through Jump the Shark when my work was, well, stolen. My home was broken into on New Year's Eve and they stole my laptop, and in it my Supernatural Season 4 disc containing those episodes. When I get a hold of these episodes again, I will go back and write them._

When the Levee Breaks

"Please stop, oh God…help!" Sam's screams echoed up through the hallway.

Dean looked at Kayla, who still had tear tracks on her face from his last outburst. "He's just hallucinating."

"I can't." She cringed as another plea came from the basement. "I can't take this anymore."

"Kayla." Dean called after her as she went towards the stairs.

"I won't let him out." She shot back as she made her way to Bobby's panic room. Sam's agonized cry rang out again and she picked up her pace.

First she opened the slot; Sam was lying on the cot in the center of the room, his eyes squeezed shut and arms spread to either side. An average person would say it resembled the crucifixion. To those who had been privileged enough to endure unspeakable horrors, it looked like a torture rack. Sam gasped out writhed in pain from an unseen source.

"Sam?" Kayla slid the iron latch and turned the archaic looking dial to pull open the door. "Sam it's okay." He strained away from her when she touched his face and she gave his shoulders a firm shake.

"Alastair!" His eyes jerked open as he sat up.

"No, you're okay. You're hallucinating."

To verify, Sam looked himself over, not finding any of the wounds he'd imagined.

Kayla poured him a glass of water and sat next to him on the cot. "Are you okay? You look awful."

"Thanks." She was probably right though, hell, he _felt_ awful. He downed the glass; it had little effect on his thirst.

"What can I do?"

He ran his hands over his face. "Convince Dean this whole thing is ridiculous."

She took a breath and looked him over; she had to choose her words, the last thing she wanted was a fight. "Can you just explain it to me?"

Sam sighed. He'd explained it a hundred times. "The demon blood is enhancing my psychic abilities, making it easier to kill demons."

"And more powerful ones. Like Alastair."

"Like Lilith." He corrected. "Alastair was just a bonus."

"Sam I don't know how long you've been…doing the blood thing, but before, it wouldn't do this to you. It would make you weaker, but never like this."

"I usually don't go this long without."

"This is a wicked withdrawal, you have to see that. Anything that does this to your body, to your mind…"

"This isn't the time for morals! Yeah, obviously if it was good for me it wouldn't mess me up like this but let's save the rehab for _after_ Lilith's funeral huh?" The intensity of his argument made his head throb and he groaned loudly while rubbing his temples.

She hated seeing him like this, hated seeing him in pain. His complexion had turned into a sickly pale with his veins exposed just beneath the surface. His body was covered in a cold sweat and his eyes were red and showed exhaustion. Maybe she should talk to Dean.

"Please do." He responded to her thoughts.

They both knew it wouldn't do any good. "I'll do what I can."

"No. Not everything you can." He glanced to the door that was hanging open.

"Sam…"

"I wouldn't," he grimaced and reigned in his anger. It was the withdrawal talking. "I wouldn't do that, to you." He emphasized, because he would do it to Dean. She should know Sam wouldn't put the blame on her for letting him out.

Upstairs, Dean was polishing off another shot as Bobby pulled more reports from his computer. Sam had quieted for now, no doubt due to Kayla. It was probably better that way; in her eyes Sam could do no wrong. Apparently no one could do any freaking wrong.

"Good news?" Dean shook his mind of his brother for a moment.

"Far from it." He handed him a sheet of paper. "The demonic omen maps are lighting up."

"Ten species in Key West go extinct." He read.

"And that ain't all, Alaska too. Fifteen man fishing crew struck blind with no known cause. Then in New York; teacher locks the doors and kills exactly sixty six kids."

"The world's coming to an end."

"Well I've been researching, they're seals and lots of them. They're breaking one after another."

Dean shook his head. "And where the hell are the angels?"

Bobby shrugged and looked at him, getting a feel for his demeanor before he spoke. "I was wondering, with the apocalypse all nigh and all, is now really the time to be having this little domestic drama of ours?"

He stopped. "What do you mean?"

"I don't like this anymore than you do." Dean was waiting for the bomb to drop. "Sam can kill demons. He's got a shot at stopping Armageddon."

"So what, sacrifice Sam's like, his soul for the greater good? Is that what you're saying? Times are bad so let's use Sam as a nuclear war head?"

"I hate me for suggesting it, I love that boy like a son. But maybe he's here instead of on the battlefield. 'Cause we love him _too_ much."

Dean heard the movement and glanced behind him to see Kayla leaned in the doorway. He already knew her opinion on the matter; unlock the door and let the kid loose. She was as disgusted by the sight of Sam drinking blood as Dean was, but not affected enough by it to agree to the lockdown. With a quiet sigh he motioned her outside.


	2. Chapter 2

"Maybe he's not coming." Kayla stared up absently at the sky as she lay on the hood of one of Bobby's many broken down cars. "He doesn't serve_ you_ you know." She quoted Cas from the last time they saw him, he seemed pretty…well, he seemed like the Castiel they first met. Cold, straight-laced. A dick. What a waste.

"He better show up." Dean groaned kicked the front tire. "I don't know what to do. I know you want to let him out."

"It's not that I want to let him out." She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the car. "I just hate seeing him suffer, the same as you. We haven't really figured out if this is helping or hurting him."

"But you get it right? I mean, I did the right thing." It sounded more like a question as he stepped towards her. He just wanted answers.

Kayla nodded and tugged his jacket so he was standing against her. "Sam's in over his head, the change happened so slowly he doesn't even realize what it's done to him. And _we_ don't know what he's turning in to, if anything."

"What if this doesn't work?" _What if it kills him?_

The grimace crossed her face too quickly to hide; she didn't know what to do with Sam anymore. Her eyes lowered to the ground and she rested her head against his chest. "I wish the angels could answer some damn questions for once."

As if on cue, Castiel showed up on the far end of the lot. He walked towards them with a solemn expression.

"It's about time." Dean told him. "I've been screaming myself hoarse for about two and a half hours out here." His hand lingered against Kayla's before he faced him.

"What do you want?" He asked unsympathetically.

"You can start with what the hell happened in Illinois."

"What do you mean?" Castiel stopped a few feet in front of him.

"Cut the crap, you were gonna tell me something."

"Nothing of importance."

"You got ass-reamed in heaven, but it was not of importance?"

His expression slipped, just barely and only for an instant. "Dean, I can't. I'm sorry. Get to the reason you reall called me. It's about Sam right?" His voice went back to it's hard monotone.

Might as well skip the small talk, Cas wasn't doing it. "Can he do it? Kill Lilith, stop the apocalypse?"

"Possibly, yes. But as you know, he has to take certain steps."

"Crank up the hell blood regimen."

"Consuming the amount of blood it would take him to kill Lilith would change your brother forever. Most likely, he would become the next creature you would feel compelled to kill. There's no reason this should have to come to pass, we believe it's you Dean, not your brother. The only question for us is whether you're willing to accept it. Stand up and accept your role. You are the one who will stop it."

Dean rolled the information around a few times, being sure not to look at Kayla to influence his answer. "If I do this, Sammy doesn't have to?"

"If it gives you comfort to see it that way." He responded blankly.

"God you're a dick these days."

Kayla had other concerns. "Is this going to hurt him?"

"Possibly. I don't have all the details."

"Don't have all the details like…it might take him dying to stop Lucifer from rising?"

His expression didn't change. "You know what I know."

She bit her lip and Dean turned back to her, leaning his lips to her ear. "It's not going to come to that." He looked at Cas with a surrendering sigh. "I'm in."

"Do you give yourself over wholly to the service of God and his angels?"

Dean gave him a look. Really? "Yeah, exactly."

"Say it."

He glanced to Kayla, then back at him. "I give myself over wholly to serve God, and you guys."

"You swear to follow his word as swiftly and obediently as you did your own fathers'?"

Hesitation, resignation. "Yes I swear. Now what?"

"Now you wait, and we call on you when it's time." Castiel was gone.

"I don't like this Dean, I don't like anything about it."

"I'm with you." He placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Why don't you check on Sam? I'm gonna talk to Bobby."

With a nod she slid off the car and headed into the house. Bobby didn't even look up from his computer as she jogged down the stairs.

"Dean!" Sam was yelling from the room but he sounded weak.

She slid open the slot. "It's just me."

"Kayla, I'm not feeling right." The words came out so quick they were almost strung together.

"No shit."

"That's not what I mean, I mean, _really_ not right." He frantically rubbed the sweat from the back of his neck. "Something's wrong."

He was panicking. "Sam calm down."

"Calm down?" Are you even listening to me?! You gotta get me out of here!"

"Back up, I'm coming in."

"Back up. Right, 'cause _that's _necessary."

She watched him step back and opened the door, he looked different now. He was jumpy, almost fearful. "It's gonna be okay." Kayla took his hand and glanced to the clock, trying to time his heart rate. It was higher than it should be for sure, but under the circumstances she'd expect that. "Are you still nauseous?"

"Of course I'm still nauseous, that's normal. What's _not_ normal is my brother locking me in a damn room because he _thinks_ I'm turning into a monster. Is he going to let me die in here? Is that what this is about?"

"What? No, of course not. You're not going to die."

"Really? 'Cause it sure feels like…augh." He put his fingers on his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Sam?"

He was quiet a moment. "Just dizzy. But that…"

Sam collapsed without warning. In an instant he was jerking on the ground, she'd almost say convulsing. When she touched him his hands twisted unnaturally as his arms bent in different directions. _Shit._ She ran to the bottom of the stairs.

"Guys get down here! He's having a seizure!" When she got back to him his whole body was shaking in tremors.

The footsteps were a quiet thunder coming down the stairs and Dean ran in beside her. "You sure he's not faking?"

Suddenly Sam's body slid across the floor and lifted onto the wall, rolling several times while suspended in air. They couldn't help but stare.

"That's _not_ faking it."

"We're gonna have to get him down."


	3. Chapter 3

When Sam came to his head was still pounding and he was still fuzzy on the details of what had happened. Between the hallucinations and the pain, who knew what was reality anymore. He steadied his breath and opened his eyes. The surroundings hadn't changed, but the situation definitely had. Sam couldn't move, when he tried to sit up he found himself strapped to the cot.

"We had to Sam, the demon blood was flinging you all over the room." Dean told him, he was standing near him. "Tell me why you did this to yourself."

"You know why."

"Right, kill Lilith, I've heard it. But why? Revenge?"

"Of course."

"Revenge for what? Sending me to hell? You happen to notice I'm back, alive and kicking? So what's the point?"

"The point? How about stop the damn apocalypse?"

"My game, not yours. The angels said so remember? God picked me man. You got anymore fantastic excuses? See, I know why you really drink that blood Sam."

He really didn't need this right now, he'd rather have Kayla in here. "Just leave me alone."

"It makes you feel strong, invincible. The big bad wolf with all these pigs." He circled the cot as he spoke, he looked like a vulture.

"You're wrong Dean."

"It's more than that isn't it? It's because your whole life you felt different, am I right?"

"Stop." He tried to block out his voice but it got louder in his head.

"Oh I hit a little too close to home huh?" Sam strained against the straps. "Not different because you were some lonely kid or because of your weirdo family."

"Stop it." It came more pleading now, why the hell didn't he just get out of the room?

Dean leaned in close to him. "But because you're a monster."

"Shut up! Just shut the hell up!" He screamed at him.

"You are a monster, and you only feel right sucking down more poison, more evil!"


	4. Chapter 4

Bobby studied them for a long time. He couldn't believe Dean had signed up to be the angel's bitch while Sam was dying in the basement. None of this made sense anymore. "I'm gonna ask one more time. Are we absolutely sure we're doing the right thing?"

"You saw what was happening to him down there. The demon blood is killing him."

"No, it isn't. We are."

"What?"

"I can't bite my tongue anymore. _We're_ killing him. Keeping him locked up down there, this cold turkey thing ain't working. If he doesn't get what he needs, soon, Sam's not gonna last much longer." He felt better, to hell with the consequences.

Something in him knew Bobby was right, but the facts remained the same. "No. I'm not giving him demon blood, I won't do it."

"And if he dies?"

He felt the tears burn their way through. "At least he dies human."

"Dean." Kayla looked shocked, his name sounded like an accusation. "He's your brother."

"And we're gonna keep it that way. I would die for him in a second, but I won't let him do this to himself. I can't. I guess I found my line. I won't let my brother turn into a monster."

"You can't make that decision! Dean, right or wrong this is what he wants! He's going to make it happen!"

"That doesn't even make any sense! He's going to turn into one of those filthy things!"

"What if he's different? What if he has the powers with none of the darkness? We've seen it before, like…"

"If you say Ruby I swear to God."

"Ruby? Fuck Ruby. We should _burn_ Ruby alive for putting these stupid ideas into his head in the first place. I was referring to that clan of vampires. The ones that adapted, and what about Dominic?"

"So you think we should let him turn into a _creature_ on the off chance that he may be able to handle it?"

She sighed quietly. "I think…this is going to tear you guys apart. Going against him is going to make things worse, he thinks he's right."

"Well he's not." He shook his head, muttering as he walked out of the room. "It's not happening."

"_Monster Sam, you're a monster."_

"_Dean…"_

"_I tried so hard to pretend we were brothers, that you weren't one of the filthy things that we hunt. We're not even the same species. You're nothing to me."_

"_Don't you say that to me." Sam swallowed. "Don't you say that to me!"_

But Dean disappeared; Sam wondered if hallucinations could be accurate.


	5. Chapter 5

Kayla peacefully woke from a short night of sleep, which was probably more troubling than it should have been. Everything in the house was quiet. Dean still slept soundly on the couch, Bobby wasn't around at all. She might as well check on Sam before Dean made her feel guilty about it.

The basement was as quiet as the rest of the house and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up in anticipation as she descended the stairs. Quiet was out of place around here.

She stared at the open door for a long time. Though it didn't seem necessary, eventually she verified that the room was indeed empty. Sam was gone and she didn't know whether to feel relieved or worried out of her mind. Kayla ran back up the stairs.

"Dean!"

He was already sitting up, he and Bobby looked at her as she came into the room.

"Sam's gone."

"Kayla you didn't."

"No!" She protested. "I didn't do anything!"

"It wasn't her." Bobby agreed. "I checked on both of you when I saw Sam head out the door, you guys were out."

"You saw him leave?"

"Yeah." Bobby shook his head. "I got the bruise to prove it; kid knocked me out."

Dean shook his head slowly. "Then how the hell did he get out?"

"You think Ruby has the mojo?" Bobby asked.

"I didn't think so."

"She shouldn't have been able to get anywhere near that room, but all the devil's traps are broken."

"Damn."

Bobby and Kayla went to work on finding Sam by following his MO via police reports, while Dean went to work on the Impala. It needed a good tune up, might as well do something to prepare for wherever they were about to go. God help Sam when he finds him.

After awhile they came out to tell him the news, it took longer than he thought but it was just as well. The car was good as new and ready for the road.

"Police found my car, abandoned in an alley in Jamestown, North Dakota."

Dean nodded, the path begins. "He's switching up. Any other cars stolen in Jamestown?"

"Two. A 1990 Honda Civic, blue. Nice an anonymous."

"The kind of thing we're in to." Kayla agreed.

"What was the other one?"

Bobby chuckled a little. "A white '05 Escalade with custom rims. It's a neon sign."

"You're right he'd never take that, which is exactly what he did."

"You think?"

"I know that kid."

"Don't you think _he_ knows that?"

Dean smirked. "Ye a little faith sweetheart. Alright." He closed the hood. "We'll head in that direction. You stay here, watch the police databases. We gotta find him quick." Before the kid does something stupid.

Kayla went back for their bags as he pulled the Impala around, this was gonna be a piece of cake. Sam was playing opposite, could he be more obvious? He popped the lock to let Kayla in.

She smiled timidly and settled in her seat. "What's the plan here?"

He pulled down the drive. "Find Sam before he destroys himself."

"I get that part. But I mean, what are you going to say to him?"

"What am I gonna _say?_" He hadn't really gotten that far. Having a heart to heart wasn't really in his game plan.

"You think you're just gonna bust in there and drag him back to Bobby's panic room?"

"No…I think I'm gonna bust in there, kill Ruby, _then_ drag his ass back to Bobby's panic room. Rehab's not over."

"Maybe you can negotiate, let's help him find Lilith. Once she's dead this whole issue is kind of a moot point."

"You say that like she's just your run of the mill bitch. This is Lilith we're talking about."

"I'm aware."

"We could die trying to kill her."

Kayla shrugged, thinking of the impending apocalypse. "There are worse things than going down swinging."

"Amen to that." But her expression didn't change, she was still worried. Dean reached over and took her hand. "Hey."

"Hmm." She glanced out the window, then turned her attention to him. She was so torn about this whole thing.

"We'll find him, okay?" The idea didn't help her position. "And…I'll be as nice as I possibly can. We'll get Sam home."

Kayla nodded in response. "Okay."

_I love you._ He wanted to tell her; the way he'd told her so many times before. Now it just seemed like a goodbye, like a final statement. Dean kept it to himself. They'd bring Sam back, get this stupid demon blood out of his system and everything will be back to normal. Sam will realize it was a mistake, anyone would.


	6. Chapter 6

Dean felt the anger coursing through him as Sam left the room, he knew Ruby was still in there. Kayla could only feel nauseous as she followed him in. Ruby looked more than surprised to see them.

"Dean, Kayla. To what do I owe this…"

He didn't wait for her to finish. Dean attacked her with her own knife and she narrowly avoided being stabbed. While she side stepped he swiped at her again, cutting her shirt but not getting deep enough. Enough screwing around. He backed her into the wall and struck down, she grabbed his wrists to hold him off.

It was about then that Sam blew in, pushing right past Kayla as he grabbed hold of Dean. Thrown off guard, he grabbed the knife from him and put himself between him and Ruby.

"Just take it easy."

"That must have been some party you two had going, considering how hard you tried to keep us from crashing it. Well solid try bud, here I am."

Sam set the knife on the table. "I'm glad you're here. Look, let's just talk about this."

"Soon as she's dead we can talk all you want."

He looked at Kayla. "You too?"

"I don't have to be on her side to be on yours."

"I'm just feeling the love in this room." Ruby grimaced.

"Ruby get outta here."

"She's not going anywhere…" his argument was in vein as Sam let her run out of the room. _That's right bitch. Run while you can. _"She's poison Sam!"

"It's not what you think Dean."

"Look what she did to you! S he up and vanishes for weeks at a time, leaves you to crack it out for another hit…"

"She was looking for Lilith."

"That is French for manipulating your ass ten ways from Sunday."

"Sam you're lying to yourself."

"Dean."

He gave her a look.

"Just, remember what you said."

Dean sighed as she smiled reassuringly to Sam. "I just wanted you to be okay. You would do the same for me, you know you would."

"Just listen for a second. We got a lead on a demon close to Lilith. Come with us Dean. We'll do this together."

Well it was headed in the right direction. "That sounds great, as long as it's you and me." His expression dropped but he kept going. "The bitch is a deal breaker. You kiss her goodbye and we can go right now."

"I can't. Dean I need her to help me kill Lilith. I know you can't wrap your head around it but maybe one day you'll understand. I'm the only one who can do this Dean."

"I thought you were the one who could kill demons with your mind." Kayla noted.

"You've seen me do it." Sam didn't understand where she was going.

"Well it's just, you look a lot better now, so I'm assuming you've had your fix. Why is it you need Ruby again? Didn't she already give you the information on this demon?"

"Yeah but, I'm not strong enough yet. Ruby said I still need…"

"More blood right?"

"I'm trying to stop the God-damned apocalypse what is wrong with you guys?!"

"You're not the one who's gonna do this." Dean told him.

"Right, that's right. I forgot the angels think it's you."

"You don't think I can?"

"No, you can't. You're not strong enough."

Kayla stepped back as the entire aura of the room changed. This was going to turn bad and fast.

"And who the hell are you?"

"I'm being practical here. I'm doing what needs to be done."

"You're not gonna do a damn thing."

"Stop bossing me around Dean!" He yelled at him, and an ancient anger rose up in him, fueled by the darkness of the demon blood running through his veins. "My whole life you take the wheel, you call the shots and I trust you, because you're my brother. Now I'm asking you for once, trust me."

Dean paused, Sam's expression was fierce but sincere. He was reaching out to him. Looking to Kayla wasn't help, she was more conflicted than he was. But the demon blood was too much, he wouldn't lose his brother's humanity. "No. You don't know what you're doing Sam."

"Yes I do."

"Then that's worse!" If he knows what it's doing, knows what that shit is turning him in to…

"What?" The idea hit him and his hallucination became a reality. "No."

Kayla quickly stepped in. "Sam we love you. We just think the blood has altered…"

"Don't protect him!"

"Just say it Dean!"

"It means you're a monster."

There were tears in his eyes but hearing the words, _those_ words actually coming out of his brother's mouth set something off in him. The bloodlust hit him with a fierce urgency and he punched him so hard that Dean hit the ground.

Kayla winced as he picked himself up. She'd seen Dean punch Sam on more than one occasion but the reverse definitely hit a different note. Sam still had anger in his expression and she grabbed his wrist. "Sam he shouldn't have said it but…"

"_Stay out of this."_ Sam snarled at her and shoved her back as Dean came forward and punched him in the face.

Blow for blow they tore each other apart, like stray dogs that had crossed paths. There was nothing brotherly about the brutality they unleashed. Dean had the upper hand for a moment as he kneed him in the gut, but Sam quickly recovered and delivered a jaw-crushing punch before throwing him through the room's decorative divider. He looked down at him with vicious spite, Kayla couldn't believe what she was seeing as Sam kneeled down and wrapped his hands around his brother's throat.

Her movement was quick and deliberate; she didn't even feel remorse when she heard top of her steel-toed boot make contact with his throat. Sam was thrown to his back as he gasped for air.

"What the _hell_ are you thinking? He's here to help you and you…you just…fuck Sam are you deranged?!" She glanced to Dean's neck, looking for bruising.

But Sam wasn't the only one without remorse. He climbed to his feet with the same expression on his face, his anger still fixed on Dean. "You don't know me. You never did, and you never will."

Dean tried to sit up but fell back; he was still dizzy from the blows. Did Sam already have a welt on his throat? "You walk out that door, don't you ever come back."

He stared at them for a moment, then walked out without a word.

There was a sharp pain in his ribs as he shifted his weight, Dean hoped it wasn't broken.

Kayla leaned down and hugged him tightly, trying to swallow back a sob. "Baby I'm sorry." He'd been right about everything, and she should have trusted him. Sam was out of control.


End file.
